The Special Gift
by sheltie
Summary: Ash is stuck on what to get May for her birthday. Friendship with small hint of romance


**The Special Gift**

**By: Sheltie**

_I don't own Pokémon at all_

**A/N: been a while since I've done an Advanceshipping one-shot. Enjoy!**

Ash Ketchum was in a panic. His best friend's birthday was coming up and he had no gift to give her. He knew he was in deep trouble.

_Oh man, this can't be happening_ Ash thought as he ran a hand through his hair.

He shifted his eyes from store to store hoping one of them would spark some inspiration. But nothing. This frustrated the young lad since he wanted to get May something very special since it was going to be her sixteenth birthday, and supposedly that was a big thing. He didn't understand it, but both Dawn and Misty told him that he had better get May a very special gift because it was a very special birthday. Well, they more threaten him to get May a special present than told if you want to be truthful.

"They tell me that I need to get May a special gift, but they don't even give me any hint into what I should give her" Ash muttered to himself.

"Pika?"

Ash looked down and saw his faithful companion Pikachu looking up at him with worry.

"Don't worry buddy, we'll find something for May" Ash said confidently.

Pikachu brighten at this and nodded.

"Pika."

"Alright, now what does May like?" Ash asked out loud.

Pikachu looked around then tugged on his trainer's pant leg.

"What is it Pikachu?" Ash asked

Pikachu pointed to a restaurant.

"You'd think she'd like a voucher from there?" Ash asked.

Pikachu nodded.

"That's a possibility buddy, but I don't think that is the special gift that Dawn and Misty told that I should get" Ash said.

Pikachu frowned then went back looking. Both trainer and Pokémon wandered around looking for the perfect present. Time past for the two, but neither paid any attention since they were to focused on their task.

"Man, who knew all this searching could be so tiring?" Ash asked rubbing his head.

"Pika" Pikachu said in agreement as he copied his trainer's action.

"Come on, lets take a break for a moment" Ash said.

Pikachu nodded and they headed to a bench to sit on. Ash was hunched over with his chin resting in his hands. He was thinking really hard on what he could get May, but was still drawing a blank. It seemed that everything that he thought was just didn't feel like it was special enough for his best friend. Pikachu, who was sitting beside his trainer looked on with sympathy.

"Come on Pikachu, it's getting late. We better start heading back" Ash said.

Pikachu nodded and hopped off the bench and followed his trainer. They made it back to the Pokémon Center where he was staying with his friends. Misty had found some time off and decided to use it and visit her friends. Dawn was still traveling with Ash. Brock was also traveling with Ash. And May, well after her solo journey through Jhoto decided she wanted to travel with Ash again and he happily agreed to it. So they were all together. It was odd having all of his closest friends with him, even though Tracey wasn't able to make it.

"Hey Ash, where have you been all day?" Brock asked.

"Out looking for a present for May" Ash said slumping into a cushy chair.

"Any luck?" Brock asked.

Ash shook his head in response.

Before Brock could anything else the three girls came in chatting and laughing.

"Hey guys" Misty greeted.

"Hey Misty" Brock said smiling.

"Hey Mist, Dawn, May" Ash said nodding to each one.

The girls sat down with Dawn and Misty taking the two empty spots on the couch where Brock was leaving May the chair close to Ash.

"So what have you three been doing?" Brock asked.

"Just some girl time" Dawn said.

Brock nodded, but Ash was confused.

"What's the matter Ash?" May asked noticing the look on her friend's face.

"Well it's just that I can see you and Dawn having girl time, but I can't see Misty doing that" Ash said.

"And what do you mean by that Ash, I am a girl you know" Misty said getting riled up.

Ash cowered back a bit in his chair and held his hands up to defend himself.

"Nothing, I know you're a girl. I just never thought you'd do something like girl time because it doesn't seem like who you are" the young trainer said quickly.

Misty contemplated this then sat down now relaxed. Ash relaxed also now sensing that his life wasn't in danger anymore.

"You got off easy Ketchum" the orange-haired girl said.

Ash just rubbed the back of his head and smiled nervously.

"Well that was entertaining" Dawn said.

"You should've seen some of their fights" Brock commented.

"Really, were they epic?" Dawn asked curiously.

"Oh, the stories I can tell you" Brock said grinning.

Ash groaned since most of his fights he had with Misty ended up with him being hit in the head with a heavy object of some kind. He still had nightmares about them on a rare night. Heck, he still had bruises from the hits.

Later that night Ash was still awake as his friends slept. He couldn't sleep as he was still trying to think of the right present for May. He sighed since he knew even Pikachu was also sleeping too. He wished he could join in, but not when he had this over his head. Since he knew he wouldn't get any sleep he got up and headed to the cafeteria to get some hot chocolate. He sat in the empty room stewing in his thoughts.

"Ash?"

Ash's head snapped up at the voice. He saw May looking at him with a worried expression.

"May, what are you doing up?" Ash asked.

"I was going to ask you the same question" May said.

"I couldn't sleep" Ash said.

"I see, mind if I join you?" May asked.

Ash nodded. May came over and sat beside Ash and took his mug and sipped some of his cocoa.

"Hey, get your own" Ash exclaimed though there was no anger in it.

"Don't you know that cocoa is only sweeter when shared" May said with a sweet smile.

Ash blinked. He had never heard that before.

May smiled and shook her head. Ash was so clueless at times.

"Just take my word for it" she said.

The sat in silence taking turns drinking the mug of cocoa.

"Why can't you sleep?" May asked breaking the silence.

"Just a lot on my mind" Ash responded.

"About your next gym battle?" May asked.

Inwardly Ash shook his head. He wasn't even thinking about his next badge. He hadn't thought about since his 'talk' with Misty and Dawn. But he wasn't going to tell May that.

"A bit" he answered.

"Yeah, I'm thinking about my next contest. I can't wait for it" May said.

"I know you'll do well in it May. You're the best coordinator I know" Ash said with a smile.

"Thanks Ash, you've always been my biggest supporter" May said smiling right back.

The two sat there for a while longer then May got tired and Ash cared her back to her bed then went to bed himself.

The next day Ash was ready to look for a present for May. He left early with Pikachu by his side.

"Come on buddy, we've got some searching to do" he said.

"Pika, Pika" the yellow mouse said.

The two headed off on their continuing quest for May's present.

May awoke in her bed and smiled.

_Ash must've put me to bed_ she thought.

"Hey May, are you going to lie there all day or are you going to get up?" Dawn called.

"I'm up, I'm up" May said.

Soon May was in the common area of the center where Brock, Misty, and Dawn were sitting.

"Where's Ash?" she asked.

"Don't know, he left a note saying he had something to do" Brock said.

"He left without eating any breakfast" Misty said.

"That's not like Ash" May said.

"No, unless he was too focused on whatever it is he had to do" Misty said knowledgeably.

"Yeah, you're right" May said with a nod.

Meanwhile Ash and Pikachu were going to store to store looking for something for May. But no luck so far, but that wasn't dampening Ash's spirit. He knew he'd find something for May.

"Well nothing in this store. On to the next one Pikachu" Ash said.

Pikachu just nodded, not knowing what his trainer was looking for.

Soon they stopped off to get something to eat when Ash realized his stomach was growling.

"Oh man, I must've forgot to eat breakfast" he said.

"Pika, pika" Pikachu said.

After they ate Ash and Pikachu were off again. Soon it was getting late, but Ash didn't want to quit. That's when he spotted a store wedged in between several others.

"Hey buddy, have we been in that one?" he asked pointing to the store that caught his eye.

Pikachu shook his head in response.

"Well might as well try it" Ash said.

Pikachu nodded.

They got to the store and began to look around.

"Can I help you young man?"

Ash turned and saw a young woman standing at the counter looking at him.

"No miss, just browsing" Ash said.

"Okay, but if you need any help then let me know" the woman said.

Ash nodded and looked around.

"See anything Pikachu?" he asked after a while.

Pikachu shook his head.

"Yeah, me too" Ash said with a sigh.

Ash sighed another failure.

"Young man, perhaps I can help you?" the woman asked.

"Um, alright" Ash said.

"Now what are you looking for?" the woman asked.

"A birthday gift for my friend. She's going to be sixteen and I've been told that I have to get something special for her" Ash said.

"Ah, a gift for your girlfriend" the woman said.

"What? No, no, she just a friend of mine that's all" Ash said sputtering.

"Oh, I am just teasing young man" the woman said laughing.

"Oh, right" Ash said rubbing the back of his head.

The woman led Ash and Pikachu around and suggested items of interested and asked Ash questions about May in hopes to narrowing down the list.

"Hmm, wait just a moment. I might have something in back" she said.

Ash nodded and watched the woman go to the back room.

"Well Pikachu, I guess the only thing we can do is wait" he said.

Pikachu nodded.

The woman came back and gestured for Ash to follow her to the counter. Ash did and she laid out a long rectangular box. She opened it and Ash saw a beautiful charm bracelet.

"I've had this in back for a while unsure what to do with it" the woman said.

The charm bracelet was beautiful as well as unique. It was like it was made for someone. Each charm was a Pokémon, but each Pokémon charm was a Pokémon May had. There was a Torchic charm, a Beautifly charm, a Squirtle charm, a Bulbasaur charm, a Skitty charm, a Glaceon charm, and a Munchlax charm. With a pokéball as a clasp.

Ash looked at it then turned to Pikachu.

"What do you think buddy?" he asked.

"Pika" Pikachu said with a nod.

"We'll take it" Ash said.

"Your Pikachu has good taste" the woman commented.

Ash paid for the bracelet and the woman even wrapped it for free. He thanked and he and Pikachu left the store.

It was May's birthday and she was having a grand time. Brock cooked her a special breakfast and she had her closest friends with her to celebrate. The whole day was great. Ash and Brock were put on bag duty as May, Misty, and Dawn shopped. The two guys grumbled, but that was all. May bought a couple things and just enjoyed being with her friends. That night Brock once again cooked up feast and they all enjoyed it.

Ash tapped his glass and everyone got quiet.

"I'd like to propose a toast to our friend May. Happy birthday May you're sixteen and I hope you have many more years of adventures and fun. To May" Ash said.

"To May" the rest said.

May was teary eyed at the toast and hugged Ash, who was sitting beside her.

"Thank you Ash" she said.

"No problem May" Ash said with a smile.

Soon it was present time and May got a nice load. She got some special poffin recipes from Brock that he had created himself. From Misty she got some fishing lures that the Cerulean gym leader guaranteed to work. From Dawn she got a bunch of Seals and a new seal case to hold them in. Ash's gift was the last she opened and when she did she couldn't believe Ash spent so much on her. She leapt at Ash tackling him to the ground. This confused the others.

"Okay, that was odd" Brock commented.

Misty and Dawn looked at what Ash got May and gasped.

"I never knew Ash was this generous" Dawn said.

"Yeah, maybe Ash has grown up" Misty said.

"May, can you get of me I can't breath" Ash gasped.

May had Ash pinned down to the ground as she squeezed the life out of the poor trainer.

"Come on May, let Ash up" Misty said.

"Yeah, you don't want to kill the one who gave you the gift" Dawn said.

The two girls peeled May off Ash leaving the trainer to gasp for breath.

"Geez May, you have some grip" Ash said rubbing his ribs.

"Sorry Ash, I guess I went overboard" May said blushing.

"No problem May, I'll be fine" Ash said smiling.

The rest of the party went well and it was late when they got to bed. May though was still awake. She couldn't believe Ash got her something like this. She'd treasure as much as her half ribbon.

"Hey May, you awake?" Ash asked through the darkness.

"I am" May answered.

"Want to get some cocoa?" Ash asked.

"Sure" May said.

The two snuck out of the room went to the kitchen. Ash made the cocoa and then set it between the two of them.

"Thank you again for the gift Ash" May said.

"It was nothing May" Ash said.

May shook her head. Leave it to Ash to be modest at a time like this. They sat together taking turns drinking the cocoa.

"Happy birthday May" Ash said.

"Thank you Ash" May said

**End**

**A/N: that's the end of this one. Man, this took a lot of time to work on. I was wracking my brain trying for ideas on May's gift. Thanks for reading and please review.**


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